Tim Bancroft Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 A number of new Controls this time.It would be interesting to know what Entrants and Marshals thought of these and the ones we always use?Brekkie stops: Thoughts as well.My faves were:Gledrid: Superb vibe, lots of action and anticipation for the Welsh roads.Sugar Loaf: This used to be used by the RAC Rally crews, great to have a control in the middle of nowhereBude: I liked the idea of tea on the lawn-very civilisedPimperne: Village hall tea party atmosphere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velocita Rosso Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Blyth ..spot on great atmosphereEdinburgh..dittoSkiach..one toilet.....better at the Ecosse finish, Travellodge with Tesco extra round the corner Seaview...what elseConon Bridge...not bad ..woman a bit surly upsetting people..new?Morrisons ..spot onLancaster..spot onGledrid ...spot onSugar loaf...voices coming out the gloom ...spooky spot onGordano ..spot onLands Endwhat elseCrossroads..goodBude..OKBadgers Holt..spot on. sheep entertainingPimperne..saw 5 minutes ..shot off. seems OK..TR ..spot onreturn......weirdStart and finish well what can you say :)Thats the scores from the Northern jury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 timbancroft61 wrote:A number of new Controls this time.It would be interesting to know what Entrants and Marshals thought of these and the ones we always use?Brekkie stops: Thoughts as well.My faves were:Gledrid: Superb vibe, lots of action and anticipation for the Welsh roads.Sugar Loaf: This used to be used by the RAC Rally crews, great to have a control in the middle of nowhereBude: I liked the idea of tea on the lawn-very civilisedPimperne: Village hall tea party atmosphereI'm completely with you Tim. I loved the Sunday stops for tea and cake everywhre. Bude put on a great effort. I liked the theft of the road book on entry to force you out of your car to get it back!The breakfast at Crossroads was perfect although there seemed a lack of showers. The service at JOG was amazing and the shower perfect too.Parking seemed an issue at Edinburgh. We ended up on a verge in a random place so didn't hang around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoFiveEss Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 As newbies we had no preconceptions or expectations, however:Pimperne was my favourite - great welcome, cracking cakes and tea, lovely atmosphere and most welcome after the trauma of the drive down.Scotch pies and tea at Morrisons were also fantastic.Brekkie: thought that the quality was generally better at the Crossroads travel inn, better sausages and bacon at least, however it was delivered by slightly grumpy (understandably overburdened?) staff. JOG was nicer place to be and the eggs were better, though if those sausages had ever seen a pig I'd be amazed.That said, I can only imagine how hard it must be to find somewhere that can accommodate 100+ cars and 200+ diners, so we were grateful for whatever was laid on.In terms of logistics, couldn't fault any of them though I did have to take advantage of a secluded hedge at Skiatch..... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Quote:I did have to take advantage of a secluded hedge at SkiatchMe too.I think we killed it!Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT6boy Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Blythe- Excellent all round. Edinburger- No problems. Skiatch- great stop. I inadvertantly used the staff loo- maybe a request in advance and they'd open it up officially? that should speed things up. We also filled up there on the way back, as thanks for them opening up during the night. maybe a road book note to suggest that? Sea view- great service, a pleasure to go there. Conon bridge- no problems. Better to have the 2 rolls each, rather than sarnies. Morrisons- less oil on the roundabout there(back end got a bit happy :B), otherwise, no problems. Maybe have an 'in' entrance and an 'out' to the car park notified in advance? Lancaster- maybe ask the coffee shop to organise more staff for that time? 2 members of staff were up against it there. Otherwise, a great stop. Gledrig- great atmos, loads of helpers and marvellous cake! nice one roy 8) Sugarloaf(my ar#e)- good basic stop :). I'm sure the guys will improve signage and marshalling as it was a little chaotic. Re-inforce in the Logbook an in/out procedure and at the drivers meeting. I know you did exactly that- but we're men and we don't read instructions or listen! Maybe just a book out the window 'drive-thru' option, and seperate parking if you want to stretch the legs? Gordano- no problems, other than felt like death. Lands end- much better this year ;D! nice and quick in and out, very cheerful marshalls :) Crossroads- bloomin' marvellous. 10/10. Only improvement would be better info on the rooms for wash'n'brush up. Or signs on the doors of the available rooms? Didn't want to go knocking on the wrong ones! There were 2 more toilets and 3 urinals, and 2 more sinks available behind the bar, which I was shown. Elvis died on the other single crapper and caused something of a hold-up.... otherwise, an excellent choice guys 8). buffet a good idea, maybe the implementation of selecting food could be improved on? Badgers ar#e- Excellent location. Really nice vibe going on there. Well done Mr J and Co. 8) Pimperne- 11/10. The warmth of the welcome from the village is something quite unique in this day and age. Fantastic 8) :). Didcot- seemed a bit hit and miss this year, with cars parking up all over :-/? Again, the theft of the road book at the longer stops is a good idea to encourage people taking proper breaks. Noe of the above should be read as a criticism of the hard work of all the volunteers. it was all really appreciated, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 I liked all of the new stops, TIm. Bude was probably my favourite, superb venue and superb organisation by Malcolm and Co.Sugar Loaf was fun as a rally style middle of nowhere checkpoint. Skiach - always pleasant to bump into Chris Allen wherever he appears.Scourier - don't remember much about breakfast but the car park was a perfectly acceptable venue for gearbox fettling!All the regular stops were well up to scratch too, particularly impressed by how well the Seaview had things organised.Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shedmonkey Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Seaview -superb explained I was a celiac and they gave me beans egg and bacon -parp-Bude great Crossroads- I was a bit pissed off not to find benny playing with a minor (morris)Sugar Loaf -great fun nice "rally feel" to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenV8Machine Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 LOL barbarian bridge hotel woman was funny. "youve all turned up in a group! you should have staggered it" clown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 GT6_User_and_Abuser wrote:LOL barbarian bridge hotel woman was funny. "youve all turned up in a group! you should have staggered it" clownAnd that was a direct result of the speeds being better controlled.There will be a rush of people who all left the previous copntrol at the same time.CheersColin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanChatterton Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 My thoughts.The new stops worked very well. Breakfast at Scorrier was spot on, lovely staff and top food. I NEVER want to go back to Lands End, apart from to sign the book and take a piccie!Bude was very nice, tea on the lawn very civilised. they offer Craig Bennett and Dave Marshall fruit for the trip. Daves reply was "do we look like we eat fruit!"...... ;DSciatch, nice change, that pull up to JOG was always too long. Lack of loos, but the truckers hedge sorted that out. Nice to see Chris there! Very helpful and friendly officials, had a hand holding the torch whilst trying to sort out a missfire!Lancaster & Gordano, small thing I know, but it took us AGES to find them! No high viz jackets, no CT banner or anything to tell us who to see, just people sat at a table! I bit more help with signage please, by this point we are not exactly alert!Pimperne, missed out on the cakes, they had packed up when we got there. We did get a cuppa and a slice of cake, so that was ok. I know we were off the pace, but the list they had showed 20 more cars to come and I was disappointed to see them packing up when the run was not over yet.Sugarloaf............ fun stop in the middle of nowhere, made it feel very rally like. Top marks to Nigel for the signs so we could find it!Gledrid/Oswersty............. CAKES!!!!!! (and oil, and jacks, and clamps, and sympathetic shoulders to cry on........... nice on royboy & sorbs!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 AlanChatterton wrote:Lancaster & Gordano, small thing I know, but it took us AGES to find them! No high viz jackets, no CT banner or anything to tell us who to see, just people sat at a table! I bit more help with signage please, by this point we are not exactly alert!Good point. I knew who I was looking for at Lancaster, but walked around inside Gordano services twice even asking people for directions to said table and even when stood over the table I was still having trouble ascertaining if I was asking the right people to sign. For all I knew at that point (has just woken from 30 mins deep slumber) I was asking another crew to sign me in. Then those toilets there completely threw me cos they don't look like motorway services toilets and I wondered if I was even in the toilets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coventry kid Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 A few observations from the orange Spitfire:Blythe - liked the new time slot. The hanging around waiting to get the book signed was not an issue this year.Sciatch stop was very welcome. Perfect time to stretch the legs and swap drivers.JOG - spot on as usual, apart from the dodgy tea bags, and John Millidge's jokes!Stirling - like the ticket system for the pies :-)Sugar Loaf - again, great timing for the stop, and very well organised and signed for a remote location. Bit spooky though!Scorrier - a very welcome change. Service was a bit slow, but we were late, and the staff were friendly and helpful.Bude - brilliant! Well organised, friendly reception, lovely venue. Shame we couldnt stop for longer after all the effort that had gone in.Badgers Nadgers - great stop as always.Pimperne - still the best stop by a mile. Friendly reception, lovely cake, support when attending to wheel bearings.Plough - nice that they stayed open later to serve food. We arrived at half 9 after a few problems, and thought we would have to stop at South Mimms for a KFC on the way home as we did in 2008. Food and a cheeky pint was very welcome.Just one observation on the aspect of running late. We were at JOG well on time, but stopped to help another car with problems en route to Conon Bridge, which cost us probably 40 minutes. We ballsed up the motorway junctions and ended up in Glasgow which cost us a packet of time, and put us late from Lancaster, but we did text Nigel, and Lancaster were expecting us late. We struggled to make up time as our transmission vibrations limited our top speed to 65, and Gordano had been told we might have retired. When we arrived at Lands End, still late, they were not expecting us as we had apparently not signed in at Gordano (we had). Obviously, it is not fair to burden Tim with the task of keeping track on who is late or out, as he is trying to complete his own RBRR, but is there a way for marshalls to communicate with each other, or could the drivers have marshalls' mobile numbers to let them know of any delays? Ideally, all crews should be within the hour slot, or adapt their route to keep on time, but sometimes, it just cant happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 The disco toilet at John O Groats needs special mention. The lights made my head feel wonky and I came close to wigging out. Imagine someone with their jeans half-way up, arse bare and slowly tipping forwards until smacking into the ground forehead first. Now add trance techno rave flashing so that it all looks like slow motion. At one point the flashing became slower and slower, I thought I'd be crapping in total darkness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridget Snook Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 In defence of Pimperne, the hall had been booked till 5pm which from previous experience, had been ample time and was in fact over an hour after the latest arrival time in the road book. By this time we should have packed up, washed up, put the tables & chairs away and swept the floor ready for the people who had the next booking and for the lady caretaker who arrived shortly after 5. We had no way of knowing if crews were still on their way or had withdrawn - should they not have contacted central control to warn them. In fact we didnt leave till 5.45 and had to pay an additional hire fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Quote:Lack of loos, but the truckers hedge sorted that out. Nice to see Chris there! Really Mr Chatterton, please keep your private life private! :)Saw you a couple of times on the route stops but never got a chance to chat to you and tell you how much I enjoy following your blog.Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 timbancroft61 wrote:I loved the RBRR this time, I am relieved about this as my enthusiasm was dropping.That's because you were playing cat and mouse with a certain white Acclaim? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted October 6, 2010 Share Posted October 6, 2010 Tim,You little tinker!Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted October 6, 2010 Author Share Posted October 6, 2010 Not cat and mouse. Just bailing out the GT6, it never normally leaks!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyk5614 Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 The cakes win every time!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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